Preparing for College Biology

1. Focused Attentiveness and Attention to Detail: The successful biology student needs to be able to keep track of a myriad of detailed facts and discover new ones by detailed observation.

2. Time Management: Due to the elevated demands on the student's time in the university setting, the successful biology student needs to carefully prioritize and plan an effective schedule for time management.

3. Professional Etiquette & Integrity: A professional in this field must operate under the highest standards of ethical behavior in the scientific enterprise and in his/her dealings with colleagues. From teamwork activities to public presentations a biology student must be an effective communicator and collaborator.

4. Inquisitive Mindset & Internal Motivation: Progress in science is often driven by asking "why" questions and proposing reasonable explanations for natural phenomena. Moving forward into new areas of inquiry and not just reflecting the previous views of others is a key attribute of successful biologists. Students should practice the habit of asking questions.

5. Superior Reading Comprehension: Technical reading in the biological sciences is very demanding and is often required by teachers, particularly in upper division courses. The successful student will have good reading skills and a broad vocabulary to help in the successful navigation of the scientific literature which will be presented in a variety of forms.

6. Technical Laboratory Skills & Research Design: Biologists need to be able to apply the information they learn to a wide range of laboratory and field settings. The student should be familiar with the scientific method and comfortable with answering questions using the basic tools of science.